1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an image searching method capable of classification or searching of image files.
2. Related Art
In an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera, an image which is shot is generally recorded in a recording medium such as a memory card. An image recorded in the recording medium can be played back on the imaging apparatus. In recent years, capacity of a recording medium is increased year by year, and large quantity of image data can be stored in one recording medium. When a user views the image data shot by the imaging apparatus, it takes longer time to find out a desired image as the number of pieces of recoded image data is increased, resulting in poor usability. Accordingly, a function of easily and speedily searching for and classifying an image is required for the imaging apparatus.
JP-A-2003-288601 discloses an imaging apparatus capable of recording information effective for search and classification with the recording information related to an image. The information regarding a moving object existing in the image can be taken as an example of the information effective for search and classification. A header part of the image file may be an example of a location which stores the information effective for search and classification. This arrangement allows the search and classification to be done with high accuracy, and data processing such as search and browsing to be efficiently performed.
However, if it is configured to read the image file or at least the header part of the image file in each time image classification or image search to retrieve the search information included in the header, it takes much time, resulting in inconvenience.
Meanwhile, it can be considered that a table, and so on should be generated for associating the information for identifying the image file with search information upon generation of the image file. However, a processing ability of a CPU is required for generating such a table, thus involving a problem that creation of the image file is delayed.
An object of the present invention is to provide the imaging apparatus capable of easily and speedily retrieving and classifying an image file with good operability. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide the imaging apparatus capable of classifying and searching for the image file with good operability, with no delay generated in generating the image file.